Personality Theory Person Analysis
The client I chose, George Costanza, showed me many behaviors and characteristics that I could use to explain and assess his personality. I observed him five times and decided that the best theory to describe his personality was the Psychoanalytic Social Theory by Horney. This theory focuses on anxiety and neurosis, both of which I believe George experiences a great deal of. Horney's theory argues that childhood and parental indifference is the main cause of neurosis in adulthood. George Costanza displays almost of all the neurotic needs which categorize neurosis and are used to fight the anxiety he feels.
To start, Horney says that personality development is largely based on the amount and form of parental involvement. In one of my observations, George called his mother to tell her that he had gotten engaged. She asked to speak to his fiance, Susan, and immediately said “May I ask why?”, when Susan claimed her love for George. George's father, also unsupportive, asked George if his fiance was even a woman. This is just one example of how George doesn't feel warmth and love from his parents. In my other observations, when George is in the presence of his parents, there is constant bickering, fighting and arguing. I would assume that, throughout George's childhood, he had an unsupportive, cold childhood that did not allow him to feel wanted.
Horney's theory states that if a person doesn't have their needs met as a child, this will lead to basic hostility which, in turn, leads to basic anxiety. Neurotic adults try to combat anxiety by imploring different types of neurotic needs. In one of my observations, George broke up with his girlfriend because she beat him in a simple game of chess. When Jerry asked him why he did this, George claims that he wouldn't be able to perform sexually in front of her now. In another observation, George is expecting an apology from an old friend who is on step 9 in Alcoholics Anonymous. Although, all of his friends get apologies,
To start, Horney says that personality development is largely based on the amount and form of parental involvement. In one of my observations, George called his mother to tell her that he had gotten engaged. She asked to speak to his fiance, Susan, and immediately said “May I ask why?”, when Susan claimed her love for George. George's father, also unsupportive, asked George if his fiance was even a woman. This is just one example of how George doesn't feel warmth and love from his parents. In my other observations, when George is in the presence of his parents, there is constant bickering, fighting and arguing. I would assume that, throughout George's childhood, he had an unsupportive, cold childhood that did not allow him to feel wanted.
Horney's theory states that if a person doesn't have their needs met as a child, this will lead to basic hostility which, in turn, leads to basic anxiety. Neurotic adults try to combat anxiety by imploring different types of neurotic needs. In one of my observations, George broke up with his girlfriend because she beat him in a simple game of chess. When Jerry asked him why he did this, George claims that he wouldn't be able to perform sexually in front of her now. In another observation, George is expecting an apology from an old friend who is on step 9 in Alcoholics Anonymous. Although, all of his friends get apologies,